Liquid distributors for monolith catalysts and substrates

Abstract

The present invention relates to different liquid distributors for monolith in multiphase applications. The present invention more particularly relates to distributor devices in the form of a single injection and multiple injection pipe distributors; shower head distributor comprising a plurality of holes for plunging liquid; a packing of spherical particles with a pre-distributor to split the liquid into manifold streams, before entry into the monolith bed. The present invention provides liquid distributors for monolith in multiphase applications providing improved liquid distribution into the monolith bed resulting in uniform fluid flow in each channel so as to make maximum use of the catalyst surface area.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A device for distributing a liquid flow stream downwardly into a monolith bed having a monolith surface, comprising:
 a. an enclosed vessel comprising inlet port to hold an inlet feed axial pipe through a connector at centre position in vessel to feed liquid; 
 b. two side inlet ports at the top peripheral of the vessel for gas phase entry; 
 c. an output of inlet feed pipe for recovering liquid either through single drip (single pipe distributor) or the said output transforming into multiple nozzles having nozzle exits downstream symmetrically spaced to distribute liquid in a uniform fashion across the cross section of monolith; and 
 d. sufficient space of 0.1 to 0.6 times the bed diameter interposed in between the nozzle exits and the monolith surface wherein liquid and gas communicate before entering the monolith bed. 
 
     
     
       2. The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the diameter of the pipe distributor with the diameter of bed (d dist /d bed ) is a variable within 0.04 to 0.4. 
     
     
       3. The device as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the value of d dist /d bed ≈0.17 offers an appropriate distribution without excessive pressure drop.